Four killed in combined Russian air strike on Ukraine

In a recent escalation of hostilities, Russia fired dozens of missiles across Ukraine on Monday, resulting in the death of at least four civilians and causing significant damage to residential and commercial areas, as reported by Ukrainian authorities.

Local officials in the western Khmelnytskyi region confirmed two fatalities and reported strikes on critical infrastructure. In Kryvyi Rih, a south-central city, a 62-year-old individual lost their life, and a shopping center, along with numerous private homes and apartment buildings, suffered damage from nine Russian missiles, according to the city’s mayor, Oleksandr Vilkul.

Expressing condemnation, regional governor Serhiy Lysak stated on the Telegram messaging app, “The mad enemy once again struck civilians, directed missiles at people.”
Russia, in its defense ministry’s daily dispatch, claimed to have targeted military-industrial sites in Ukraine using high-precision, long-range sea and air-based weapons, including the Kinzhal hypersonic missile system.

Ukraine reported that its air defenses successfully intercepted 18 out of 51 missiles. However, Kyiv noted a lower-than-normal shoot-down rate, attributing it to the significant number of ballistic missiles launched by Russia, which are inherently more challenging to intercept, as explained by air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat on Ukrainian television.

Additionally, all eight drones launched by Russia were reportedly shot down. The missile strikes occurred against the backdrop of a cold snap in Ukraine, exacerbating the situation by leaving 15,000 residents without power, and disrupting local tram and trolleybus services.

In the eastern city of Kharkiv, industrial and educational facilities were damaged by at least four missile strikes, according to Governor Oleh Synehubov. Tragically, a 63-year-old woman lost her life in a strike on a town south of Kharkiv.

Governor Yuriy Malashko of Zaporizhzhia reported five people wounded in the southeastern city, emphasizing that residential areas, not military targets, were struck. This incident follows Russia’s recent intensification of air strikes on Ukrainian population centers, extending beyond the front lines of the ongoing two-year-old invasion.